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Edelweiss
"Edelweiss" refers to a series of Gallian-German tanks produced 1917-1951, and used for much longer afterwards. The original Edelweiss was used by Gallian general Belgen Gunther during World War I, and the last variant produced, the 1950 Ausf. J Main Battle Tank, was retired from active service in the post-war German Bundeswehr in 1979. Most of the series fell cleanly into the common idea of a "Medium Tank" and gave birth to the modern idea of a Min Battle Tank. Ausf "Null" (Zero) Designed and built by the late Darcsen weapons researcher Theimer, the design was one of the first tanks to offer a full 360-degree rotation, predated only by the French Renault FT-17 in that respect. It was built to be operated by two people, with the commander also serving as the gun loader, and the driver as radio operator. Dispite its age, it was one of the first designs to use angled, welded plating (instead of boxy, rivetted armor) and other emergant concepts, yelding high performance at an early test stage. Its high cost was what originally precluded it from mass production, but an aggressive German military funneled money from other projects to modify the machine into the Ausf. A. Ausf A The first variant to enter service with the German military, it was officially simply designated "Edelweiss" during its early production run. The experimental engine was swapped out for a more readily available 600hp MANN aircraft engine, making the machine take a considerable hit to mobility. The Theimer/18 KwK was replaced with a German-produced FlaK-18 88mm gun, which also allowed it higher muzzle velocity. At this time, the Edelweiss was firmly in Heavy Tank territory, but was mobile. Certain lucky Panzer divisions managed to acquire Ausf A's as early as the Invasion of Belgium and Holland, and later they would be used to keep the heavy Matilda II-A Assault Tanks from destroying German forces from afar (thanks to thicker armor than the 86mm QF 25-pdr could pierce). Ausf B When the likes of the KV-2 showed up, no matter how rare, Hitler saw his Edelweisses being easily destroyed by the new Soviet tanks. The 152mm cannon could easily destroy the Gallian machines, which lead to a heavier variant with frontal armor so thick, the round bounced off. Unfortunately, this was the end result of trying to make a tank out of an assault gun, as the Ausf. B's original designation was StuG V(G). While the large 105mm cannon could easily destroy any enemy tank in the field, the Ausf B was easily flanked and destroyed by light Soviet tanks like the BT series and the T-26, due in no small part to the fact that it creeped along at only 21 km/h. A second version of the Ausf. B traded the 105mm cannon for the smaller 88mm cannon. This was because the larger gun was more than what was needed to destroy most Soviet tanks, but it did not solve the issues with mobility. Ausf. C Designed to replace the Ausf. B in all ways, the C variant had a radically different turret design that the prior variants. Using a Schmalturm ("Small Turret") in place of the fairly large turret cut down on size, but hindered the turret magazine. It was also downgunned to a 75mm cannon, though a more powerful 920hp Gaso-ragnite engine allowed for a much greater speed, while burning both ragoline, gasoline, and even kerosene. In many ways, the Ausf. C embodied much of the Panther's design features, and sometimes would be confused for a Panzer V(D). The "C" Variant was the first machine to be considered a Medium Tank. Ausf. D Trading the Schmalturm of the Ausf C for the aptly named Grossturm ("Large turret" or "Great Turret"), the Ausf. D mounted a long 88mm cannon not unlike what would have been mounted in the Pz VI Tiger, had it been pursued. It was little more than a return to the "Heavy Tank" style machines of the earlier series, though it used a round, vaguely cylinder-shaped turret that was larger the standard turret (hence Grossturm). It traded the standard bogie suspension seen on prior models for an interleaving one, and was also notable for its tread overhang, and all-around sloped armor coverage. Ausf. E Taking the chassis of the D and mixing it with a modified Schmalturm from the C, Ausf. E greatly resembles Panthers in many ways. It was the first tank in the series and German arsenal to successfully mount a 10.5cm cannon, which was adopted from the same howitzer that the Ausf. B mounted (if more directed for an antitank role). A higher power output from a new engine, derived from that of the Ausf. Null, produced a tank that exemplified the idea of a 1950s Main Battle Tank in 1943. Ausf. F Trading the long 75mm cannon shared with the Panzer V(D) Panther, the Ausf F mounted a large 105mm main gun like the Ausf B, but turret modifications and changes to the turret ring (along with the suspension and ball bearings) resulted in only a negligable hit to turret rotation speed, and the incorperation of an electric motor also allowed the turret to rotate all the faster. The large, powerful engine seen in prior models remained, making the Ausf. F the first machine to see combat to fit the classification "Main Battle Tank". It was from the Ausf. F that the majority of post-war variants were developed, and machines such as the American M2 Stevens and T-95 Black Eagle still incorperate design features of the Edelweiss and the machines inspired by it, the M46 Patton and the T-44/85. Category:Vehicles of Note